Cateye HL-130 and LD-130 LED Bike Light Upgrade

A very simple how to showing what needs to be done to upgrade the Cateye 3 LED front and rear bike lights to 5 LEDs.

Step 1: Tools and Parts

You will need:

Soldering Iron
Soldering Iron Stand
Solder
2x 5mm red LEDs (5000mCd seem about the right brightness)
Small coin (to open case)

Step 2: Open the Case

Insert the coin in the recess at the end of the case and twist. Once you have opened the case, remove the gasket so you don't loose it.

Step 3: Remove the PCB

This is the only hard part... removing the PCB without damaging it. The PCB is not attached to the case. It may look like it is, but it isn't. The only bits holding it in place are the battery contacts. Pull the battery contacts out using the long nose pliers. Only use moderate force, as the PCB will come out with them. Start at the end that doesn't have the switch. The negative battery terminal is the harder of the two to get out, so be careful. You will bend them a bit, but they bend back OK.

Step 4: Solder in the LEDs

Place the LEDs into the PCB making sure to put them in the same way round as the existing LEDs (they only work one way round). Then solder them in place. I find it easiest to solder one leg in place, then bend the LED into the correct position and then solder the other leg.

Step 5: Test

The testing is best done with a bench PSU set to 3V and a pair of croc clips. If you don't have a bench PSU, you can still test the PCB using the original AAA batteries, but it's just a lot more fiddly holding them in place. You may as well skip this and test the PCB once it's back in the case - but I would recommend double and triple checking that you have put the LEDs in the same way round as the original three!

Step 6: Finish

Put the batteries in, the gasket back on and the cover. All done! :D

The process is exactly the same for the Cateye HL130 front light too, except that you need white LEDs and not red ones. Enjoy.

Comments

[wesleytabaka]

I was hesitant to mod my tail light because I wasn't sure which LEDs to use. The 5000mCd ones are spot-on! I can't tell the difference from the stock ones. Thanks for posting this, mate!

[zzpza]

You're welcome!

[ianrab]

 >  I did this mod a while ago.  I'm glad someone posted an 'ible on how to.

[benduy]

same here

[sarajw]

Hrrmmm looks good! I'm wondering a couple of things, however... 1) Is the power coming straight from batteries with no current-limiting anywhere? Just wondering if all LEDs remain as bright as they should once two extra have been added. 2) Do the light patterns still flash in the same way? I.e. does the knightrider-esque pattern not skip the two new ones? Cheers! Always thought it was pretty poor not to fill in the remaining two holes, but found the PCB sat pretty tight and didn't want to break the thing...

[zzpza]

thanx :) 1) the new LEDs are just as bright as the old ones. 2) you know the pause you see when there's no LED illuminated when it's in that pattern mode? that's when these other two LEDs light up! i thought that too. be confident and only pull on the battery clips, not the PCB. use long nose pliers and 'walk' the PCB out pulling on the top connectors, then the bottom, then the top, etc. if you do bent the battery connectors whilst pulling them out, you can always re-bend them. have fun :)